Top 10 ways to pass your virtual course

Maria Moncaliano, Sagemont School

With Broward County Public Schools now requiring an online class to graduate, students are obliged to undertake the daunting task of teaching themselves via the Internet. Such a mission requires focus and self-discipline.

For those tackling such a class for the first time, here are 10 tips on how to pass virtual courses.

1. Organize: Every course comes with a "pace chart." It outlines the assignments you should complete every week. Jotting down the deadlines helps keep the flow going. Students that lag behind pace will receive an "F" and be kicked out of the class.

2. Read the lessons: The course is not written like a text book. Virtual teachers write the lessons to be understandable and explanatory. They provide all of the information necessary to ace the quizzes, tests and assignments for the course.

3. Communicate: Teachers are available for guidance and explanations. It is perfectly OK to call or email online teachers for help. They also know about videos, websites and other sources of information.

4. Use the Internet: There are times that concepts do not click right. An activity may be difficult to complete. Everyone on virtual school sits before a computer. When in doubt, looking stuff up is a big help.

5. Space out your time: Cramming a week's worth of work into one day is not a good idea. Spacing out assignments based on individual needs helps find the right working rhythm.

6. Study: Reading the lesson once and getting an "A" on the homework does not ensure a good grade on tests. Exam preparation should be no different than for traditional school.

7. Attend webinars: These are easy ways to get assignments and collaboration requirements completed. At these group chat sessions, students review and reinforce the material, receive assignment credit and have access to direct help from teachers.

8. Take the collaborations seriously: They are required. Delaying them until the end complicates progress and leads to stressful scrambling.

9. Remember the end date: The most important deadline is the course end date. High schools may have different end dates than the individual courses. It is important to be aware of both.

10. Read the rubrics: Every assignment comes with a rubric that explains exactly what to do to receive 100%. Teachers include them so students know exactly what to study for tests and what to know for activities.